Fire-escape



I (No Model.)

' J. STOPPLET.

I FIRE ESCAPE. N0. 285,319. Patented Sept. 18, 1883.

WITNESSES INVENTOR u. mans. Pholo'biho nphtr. Wilhifllim m:

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH STOFFLET, OF SEIGFRIEDS BRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 285,319, dated September 18, 1883.

Application filed April 9, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH SronFLnr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident at Seigfrieds Bridge, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 3 is a sideview, and Fig. 4 is a top View.

This invention has relation to fire-escapes; and it consists in the construction'and novel arrangement of devices, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a strong frame, which is designed to be secured to a building aboveone of the upper windows. 13 indicates a shaft, having journalseats in said frame. To this shaft are secured the end disks or wheels, 0 and D, and the middle disk, E, which divides it into two portions, F and G. On the porticnFof the shaft is wound an escaperope, a, and on the portion G is wound, in the opposite direction, an escape-rope, b. The end wheel 0 0f the shaft is toothed to engage a pinion, H, on-a shaft, K, which carries at one end a transverse head, L, which is provided at its ends with sliding brake-blocks 2, designed to engage the interior wall of a circular bearing, V, to operate automatically as'a brake to govern the rapidity of descent. The ropes a and b should pass through separate guide-bearings g and h,

and either or both of the ropes may engage a roller-bearing, 7c, journaled in the frame.

In the operation of this escape, it is apparent that while a person attached or holding to one of the escape-ropes is descending thereby the other rope is ascending and being wound on the shaft B. The latter rope can then be used by another person, while the first rope is wound up. The automatic brake prevents the descent from being too rapid, as the speed of the shaft B is communicated to the brake-shaft K, and causes the brake-blocks on the arms of the transverse piece Lto be pressed forcibly outward against the circular bearing V. As the action of the brake is increased by the speed of the descent, the rapidity of the downward movement is automatically governed.

If desirable, an alarm device may be operated by either shaft of the escape.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, with the shaft B, having the middle disk and drums F and G, and the oppositely-wound escape-ropes a and b, of the toothed wheel 0, brake-shaft K, pinionH, cross-head L, brake-blocks z, and circular bearing V, substantially as specified.

2. A rope fire-escape having an automatic brake consisting of the concave disk or bearing V, transverse head L, brake-blocks z, and shaft K, adapted to operate substantially as specified.

v In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH STOFFLET.

Witnesses:

L. H. YEAGER, A. K. WITTMAN. 

